Military of Vietnam

The incompatibility of American soldiers and Vietnamese jungles was never addressed in battle plans.
Conventional troops were use in unconventional circumstances.

Guerilla tactics


Underground tunnels
Underground bases
Ambushes
Close combat
Night combat
*"Hugging" the enemy*
Years of experience fighting in jungles.


Booby traps


Fake underground tunnels
Trip-wires
Booby trapped fake outposts

Spies

Prostitutes
Village men

Internal support

Villages were outposts for VC
Civilians by day, VC by night
Weapons caches inside villages
Mass peasant support

Morale

VC had their country to fight for.
US soldiers had no cause.
“If they weren’t VC before we got there, they sure as hell were by the time we left.”